The present invention generally relates to winged needle medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to safety winged needle medical devices such as winged blood collection needles, winged infusion needles, winged hemodialysis needles, and blood collection bags with attached winged needles, which are designed to minimize the incidence of accidental needlesticks after needle contamination.
Accidental needlesticks have long been a problem in the medical profession. Accidental needlesticks most often occur during the recapping of a contaminated needle or immediately after use and prior to safe disposal. Such needlesticks place the medical professional (clinician) at risk. When needles are not recapped, additional accidental needlesticks are caused by uncapped needles found in patent beds, linens, and in garbage cans, and place health care, housekeeping and sanitation personnel at risk. Because accidental needlesticks can now result in deadly incurable diseases as well as the previously appreciated serious, but curable diseases, the need for eliminating the needlestick problem has reached extreme urgency. In addressing the urgency, many devices have been proposed. Indeed, reference may be had to the background section of parent application hereof, U.S. application Ser. No. 7/162,569 for a discussion of the prior art of safety needles, as well as the background section of parent application hereof, U.S. application Ser. No. 07/257,407 for a discussion of the prior art relating to winged needle arrangements.